Many efforts have heretofore been made to provide equipment adapted to be used with the conventional aerosol type containers for shaving cream for dispensing the lather in heated condition. The surces of heat are usually hot water from the tap or electrical heating. The present invention utilizes the latter approach, but provides features of efficiency, economies in construction and operation, and neatness and ease of use which have not been available with prior art units.
One of the objects of the invention is to provide a heating and dispensing unit which rapidly rises to the proper temperature for heating the lather and is effectively controlled against over heating. This is accomplished by the use of a readily available off-the-shelf ceramic electric resistance heating element which quickly reaches and maintains the desired operating temperature. The flow of current to the heating element is controlled, but not by a thermostat sensitive to the heating element; instead, control is achieved by a simple and expensive timing switch in the circuit to the heating element located at a point remote from the element.
Another object of the invention is to provide a unit of the character described which is so constructed as to provide effective heating of the lather within the unit all the way to a point adjacent the point of discharge, and yet in which the prevention of leakage of hot lather or liquid into the electrical circuitry is easily and securely effected. A special feature of the invention resides in the provision of means for insuring that any steam generated by heating is effectively intercepted and mixed with the lather prior to discharge, thus maintaining a high quality lather and preventing any hot steam jets from striking the user. A related feature, from the standpoint of comfort and safety, is that the unit is so made as to avoid the creation of hot spots on the housing at the location where the fingers of the user might contact the housing during reception of the lather.
A further object of the invention is to provide a lather heating and dispensing unit which is constructed of a small number of parts, and which can be manufactured and made available to the public at relatively low cost.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a unit of the character described which lends itself particularly to use in situations where the shaving operation may be carried out at a location somwhat remote from the electric outlet and some minutes after detaching the unit from the electric outlet. The manner of construction of the unit is such as to store and preserve heat in the heating element, which heat remains available for heating lather to its desired temperature long after the unit has been disconnected from the source of electricity.
Other and further objects of the invention together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the following description.